. . . . . . practical. productive. parenting . . . . . .

Mom Mattersaddresses important and practical parenting issues parenting that are often left out of typical parenting magazines and network TV shows. With intellect and humor,Mom Mattersentertains while it educates moms on how to be more productive and satisfied parents.

We're not your average blog or vlog.

In addition to the videos posted here, we post each video to 16+ other public video servers such as Mevio, YouTube, MetaCafe, Veoh and others. Because the videos have such a range of topics and we don't rely on people finding this blog, the videos are actually watched by over 250,000 people that aren't reflected by any one video posting or blog meter. If you want more information on how and why we do this, let us know. Please note that the opinions expressed by guests on the show may not be the same as those of the Mom Matters host or staff. While we do seek to bring on only acccredited experts, Mom Matters does not guarantee the accuracy ofr effectiveness of the information presented by a guest or sponsor.

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Sunday, March 8, 2009

You've just given birth to a beautiful baby! But what happens before baby can be taken home? Our expert guest is neonatologist Dr. Richard Parad, in the Department of Newborn Medicine of Boston's Brigham & Women's Hospital and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.He tells us what new parents should know about newborn screenings. What tests are routine, are there risks involved, and how you can learn more about what tests your hospital does before baby arrives.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Whether this is your first baby or third, one thing you know for sure: labor is painful. Dr. William Camann is the Director of Obstetric Anesthesia at Boston's Brigham & Women's Hospital and an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at the Harvard Medical School.He is also the author of the book “Easy Labor”. Dr. Camann tells us how to have an easier labor. Whether you choose traditional or alternative methods to control pain, being prepared and knowing your options ahead of time is the first step.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Does your child hate wearing tags, play with Play-Doh or even being hugged? Occupational Therapist, Jean Esposito, talks about the neurological disorder, Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID), also know as sensory processing disorder. Jeans tells us what SID is, how it's diagnosed and treased. She also gives us a closer look how SID can affect a growing child on a daily basis and what signs parents should look for.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Are you worried your child might have diabetes, or have they just been diagnosed? There are probably numerous questions and concerns going through your mind. Dr. Lynne Levitsky is the Chief of the Pediatric Endocrine Unit at MassGeneral Hospital for Children and a past president of the Pediatric Endocrine Society. She’ll answers questions such as what the symptoms are, how it is diagnosed and what treatment options are available.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

As parents it's natural to want to ease your child's discomfort when they aren't well. But when it comes to a cold it seems there aren't many options for younger children. Practicing primary care physician Dr. Heather Diskin is a recent graduate of the MassGeneral Hospital for Children pediatric training program. She gives us the truth about over the counter cough and cold medications. She'll explain the safety concerns, why they were taken off the shelves last year, what age they are effective and alternative methods to relieving your tots sniffles.

Possibly the most talked about parenting concern today, Internet danger is not virtual, it’s real. Parents worry about kids having access to pornography or interaction with predators – including other kids. Dr. Gene Beresin is the Director of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and McLean Hospital. He is also the co-director for the MGH Center for Mental Health & Media and he is a professor of psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School. Dr. Beresin discusses what to be prepared for and what to do to keep your child safe. Learn what to look for, what to do, and what to avoid when managing your child’s web time.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Dr. Mark Proctor from the Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospitals is an expert in concussion management. He tells us what a concussion is, how it effects your child and how to tell the difference between a bump on the head and a concussion, such as what symptoms to look for if you’re concerned. Dr. Proctor also explains how concussions are diagnosed, treatment options and how to prevent your child from getting a concussion.Sponsored by:Please Stop the Rollercoaster - tips and tools for successfully parenting your teens

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Parent-teacher conferences can be very stressful for both sides. Whether your child is an exceptional student or one of special needs, finding agreement with your child’s teacher about your child’s capabilities and needs is often difficult.

Nationally recognized and awarded principal, Robin Welch, will share some inside tips on how to take advantage of the parent-teacher conference to really learn and positively influence your child’s educational experience. Robin will discuss how parents can be helpful and not overbearing to often intimidated and overworked teachers. He’ll help you be more prepared and get more out of these meetings and the information will benefit you any time you have the opportunity to interact with your child’s teacher.

Principal Welch is a highly respected educator and administrator who has been involved with all aspects of childhood education and special needs. Among numerous other accolades, he is the recipient of the 2005 National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) National Distinguished Principal Award and the 2005 Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA) Thomas C. Passios Award.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Helping your child with his/her homework is an important way to connect to and support your child.Yet, many parents don’t know the best way to do this.Some are frightened that they don’t know all the answers.Others wind up doing the homework for the child. Nationally recognized and awarded principal, Robin Welch, will discuss how parents can most help their children with their homework, and set up a practical homework station, making it fun and productive for all.

Principal Welch is a highly respected educator and administrator who has been involved with all aspects of childhood education and special needs. Among numerous other accolades, he is the recipient of the 2005 National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) National Distinguished Principal Award and the 2005 Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA) Thomas C. Passios Award.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Many kids believe money just comes out free from the ATM. So how do you teach them the value of money and how to properly manage it as they grow up? The topic of money is sometimes as hard to discuss as sex and religion so parents often skip it as their parents did to them. But like sex, talking appropriately to children about money and personal finance can help make them safe and more successful in a competitive and expensive world.

Jameel Webb-Davis, Founder of Start Money Smart, educates and trains adults and children about personal finance. She’ll discuss why and how to teach kids about money.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Without regular prompts or constant reminders, Dr. Maureen O’Brien will teach us how to develop or children into polite individuals. She’ll talk about how to get your children to be overall more gracious and respectful whether they are in a restaurant, receiving a gift or meeting new people. Recognized for her sense of humor and down-to-earth guidance, Dr. Maureen O'Brien is a nationally respected parenting expert with her “Watch Me Grow” book, parent magazine consulting and speaking experiences. More importantly, she is the mother of 13 year old twins!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Cranky kids are no fun so how do parents get kids to adjust smoothly when there is daylight savings or perhaps a family vacation in a different time zone? Besides being cranky, sleep deprivation can cause learning and health issues. Kids with ADD may have exacerbated symptoms when they don’t sleep properly. Dr. Kenneth Sassower from Massachusetts GeneralHospital’s Sleep Disorders Unit discusses how to help your child better adjust to a changing sleep schedule.Sponsored by: Wander Wear

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Finding the right doctor for your child is quite the responsibility. You want to find someone capable that you connect with personally, and that you implicitly trust. It’s a lot easier said than done. Dr. Peter Greenspan, a pediatrician at MassGeneral Hospital for Children and Associate Medical Director of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, discusses the things parents should consider when looking for a compatible pediatrician. He gives specific areas to question and even some subjective things to note when researching or meeting a candidate.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Few things are as stressful for a parent as watching your child receive a shot. It’s even worse when you have doubts as to whether the child needs it or that the shot could cause permanent damage in any way. What shots do kids need and at what age? Is there any link to autism or other potential “side effects”? MassGeneral Hospital for Children pediatrician and staff physician at the MGH Immunization Center, Dr. Sandra Nelson, talks about the latest research in vaccinations and what parents should know about the benefits and associated risks.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Forget the birds and bees, today’s kids are much more informed and connected than ever before. They get information from friends, from the Internet, and from everyday media such as movies, advertisements, and TV. Not only are more kids aware of sex at a younger age, more are having it. But this doesn’t mean they understand the physical issues involved nor can handle it emotionally. So when and how do parents today talk to and properly manage their kids and sex? Dr. Kristen Eckler, a respected obstetrician and gynecologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses this often awkward topic with us so parents can be more prepared and more effective in talking to their kids.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Most of us assume violent video games can negatively affect children and their behavior. After a multi-year, multi-million dollar study, Dr. Cheryl K. Olson, Sc.D. Co-Director for The Center for Mental Health and Media at Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, will summarize the research and findings. Despite Columbine High, Virginia Tech, and other seemingly related tragedies, you’ll be surprised to learn about some of the benefits that these games can actually provide to children.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Our Part 1 webisode with nationally recognized elementary school principal, Robin Welch, was so popular, that we taped a second show to get even more into this truly controversial issue of No Child Left Behind.

Part 1 examines the question about what the policy is and how it is affects schools at large and actual classrooms. In this Part 2 piece, we’ll get more into the opinion about the effectiveness and issues at stake from one of American’s most respected administrators.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

With lofty and legitimate objectives, the Bush education initiative called, “No Child Left Behind” has become a major controversy among educators, parents and administrators. Is it working? Who is benefiting and who is being hurt?

Nationally recognized and awarded principal, Robin Welch, will help us to understand the intent and execution of the program. Robin will share his opinion on the merits and limitations of the initiative and what the future looks like with this program in a shifting political arena.

Principal Welch is a highly respected educator and administrator who has been involved with all aspects of childhood education and special needs. Among numerous other accolades, he is the recipient of the 2005 National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) National Distinguished Principal Award and the 2005 Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA) Thomas C. Passios Award.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Mompreneurs is a term used almost endearingly with women who happen to be both mothers and entrepreneurs. And today, there are millions of mompreneurs running businesses small and large, in all different industries. Some are home based business, while others are ventured funded. Yet all mompreneurs have some very common challenges, starting with how to manage time when you have to manage both your business and your family. Our guest is Beth Goldstein, a mompreneur who founded and runs Marketing Edge Consulting. Beth is also the author of, The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Toolkit.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

So, your child would rather catch real flies than be a star on the baseball field? What’s the big deal?

Gina Gallagher and Patty Konjoian, mothers of daughters with disabilities, sisters, and authors ofa new book, Shut Up About…Your Perfect Kid!, join us to discuss the joys, challenges, and absurdities of raising “imperfect” children in a “perfect” world. With bumper magnets like “My Bipolar Kid Loves Me AND Hates Me,” they’re creating a Movement of “Imperfection” and inviting parents of disabled and other “imperfect” kids to come out of their messy closets and celebrate differences.

Friday, February 1, 2008

You will be horrified and grateful to hear Susan Joyce, founder of Job-Hunt.org talk about the dangers of using the Internet. Porn is a visibly obvious issue but more stealth problems such as identity theft and computer viruses can happen by innocently using the Internet. Susan will uncover things to be aware while online looking for a job, buying a product, responding to an ad, or simply surfing. She’ll give tips on how to stay safe and what to do if you trip on trouble. Susan is a guru on Internet safety and etiquette. She has been quoted in dozens of places including the Wall Street Journal, NY Times and Time Magazine.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Depression is more common than most people realize – especially in children. The average age depression begins is 13-14 years old. Julie Totten, founder of non-profit Families for Depression Awareness is dedicated to helping family members whose loved ones are affected by depressive disorders to get people well and prevent suicides. Julie considers depression a "family illness" - meaning it takes support of loved ones to get well. Julie discusses signs and symptoms for mothers to look for in their children, how mothers can best support their loved ones who have depressive disorders, precautions to take for children prescribed with antidepressants, and personal lessons from her family's experiences.

Friday, December 21, 2007

You or your children can wait a six months of more to see a primary physician for routine checkups but sometimes you may be offered the opportunity to see a nurse practioner sooner. Nurses play a vital role in freeing up doctors to focus on critical issues and often offer patients quality and more timely care – including doing routine check ups and seeing minor ailments.

Nurse Practioner, Deborah Moore helps us understand the difference between a nurse, nurse practioner, and a registered nurse, and talks about when you should insist on seeing a doctor and what are the typical issues nurses can and should deal with.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Nationally respected parenting expertDr. Maureen O’Brien discusses how to keep kids occupied, safe and healthy while traveling via car, train or plane. Dr. Mo is an acclaimed author, speaker, and consultant to parenting groups and magazines. Her book, “Watch Me Grow: I’m One-Two-Three”, is a cornerstone book on childhood development. Plus, Maureen is the mother of 13 year old twins. If anyone knows how to reduce the stress of traveling with kids in tow, she does!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Are you scared to use photo services such as Flickr or Shutterfly because you think your family will be literally exposed? Keith Loris, co-founder of EnjoyMyMedia.com, discusses precautions moms should take when using the Internet to share photos, and other digital files. Keith talks about the potential risks and benefits of using these services, and gives tips for using these and other services safely to keep both your photos and loved ones protected!

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The Host: Alyssa Dver

Alyssa is a trained interviewer with long term experience as a freelance writer for Forbes, BusinessWeek, Entrepreneur, ParentUniverse, Parent Guide and other publications. She is also sensitive to the needs of the interviewee as she has been interviewed by hundreds of print, TV, radio and web-based media.

Alyssa lives and works just outside of Boston with her husband, two boys, ages 4 and 8, and their golden retriever, Abercrombie.